Faithful Father

"The LORD looks from heaven; 

He sees all the sons of men; 

From His dwelling place He looks out 

On all the inhabitants of the earth,"

Psalm 33:13-14

A mother doe and her twin fawns visit our homestead frequently. The trio graze on the sweet grass and wildflowers, and sometimes the fawns wander a little too far from the mother for my comfort. But she always seems to know where they are. I see her look up and make a beeline right to the spot where they are playing. This reminds me of how God sees us from Heaven. We don't see Him watching over us, but He is. He knows right where we are at all times. If we're in trouble, He makes a beeline to rescue us. What a faithful Father!

Resounding Praise

"Praise the LORD! 

Praise the LORD from the heavens; 

Praise Him in the heights!" 

Psalm 148:1

Praise resounds from Heaven to the earth. The angels praise the Lord continually. Those who have gone before us praise Him around the throne. Creation praises Him with its beauty. The Spirit within us quickens our spirit and causes us to praise the Lord. Praise is the response of a grateful heart. 

The Only Way

"About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way."

Acts 19:23 

This morning I hiked to Loch Vale with friends. I had lagged behind taking photographs and lost sight of them before I got to the lake. Thinking they had gone to the right, I started down that path. Suddenly I saw a woman with a blue shirt on the other side of the lake, and I realized my companions were going the opposite direction. I was going the wrong way!  After Jesus ascended to Heaven, His disciples began preaching about "the Way". It was a name given to Christianity. Jesus had said He was the way, the truth and the life, and that no one could come to the Father except through Him. I could have stayed on the path I was on this morning and eventually met up with my friends. It would have taken me a while,  but I would have gotten to my destination. Not so with the way to eternal life. There is one spiritual path only. Taking any other path won't get you to God. Jesus is The Way. The only way.

Begin with Prayer

"In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there."

Mark 1:35

If anyone had a reason to sleep in and skip prayer time, it was Jesus. Days filled with healing and casting out demons, teaching in the synagogue and preaching to the crowds, feeding the thousands and calming storms. His schedule would put any of ours to shame. But Jesus understood the importance of getting up early to spend time alone with God the Father before starting His day. "Look no man in the face till thou hast seen the face of God. Speak thou with none till thou hast had speech with the Most High" (Spurgeon). Take your cue from Jesus. Begin with prayer.

Secret Service

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

Ephesians 5:1-2

We have an example of true love. Jesus Christ loves us so much He gave His very life for us. If we belong to Christ, then we will desire to be like Him. One of the best ways to imitate Him is to serve another person with no thought of being recognized for the service. Consider an act of service you might do for someone anonymously this week. Don't tell anyone you did it. It will be your and God's little secret.

Always Faithful

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself."

2 Timothy 2:13

God's faithfulness does not depend on our faith or lack of it. To those who believe, He is their Savior and He will remain so forever. To those who don't believe, who reject Him, He remains faithful to save them, if they call upon His name in this life. But if they don't, there will come a time of judgment when they will give an account for their decision. For God to act any other way would be contrary to His nature. God's holiness demands justice, but His mercy drove Him to the cross.

Inspiration for Worship

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; 

The God of glory thunders, 

The LORD is over many waters."

Psalm 29:3

The earth constantly gives us reason to praise God. It is rich with His glory. The streams and rivers He has fashioned remind us that He is the Living Water. The oceans tell us that He is as constant as the tide. Flashes of lightning and claps of thunder affirm that He is the All Powerful One. Seeing and hearing what His hands have made should inspire us to worship the Great Creator. Have you worshiped Him today?